Freedom Irish Baseball

The 2020 Freedom Baseball Team has some high hopes after a 17 win 8 loss season in 2019 that had the Irish finish in second place in the tough Northeastern Conference. The Irish are returning 7 letter winners including senior Dan VanToll. VanToll was named a first team all-conference player in 2019 as he hit .333 to go along with 20 runs scored and 8 doubles.

Senior Marty Vosters earned Honorable Mention all-conference after striking out 56 in just 47 innings. Vosters posted a 2.68 ERA for the Irish as a junior. Another senior, Cole Kortz, hit .258 for the Irish in 2019. The left fielder scored 16 runs to go along with 12 RBI for the Irish. Drew Lonigro started every game at shortstop as a junior for the Irish. Lonigro finished with 47 assists on the season.

Juniors Jaden Behnke and Quinn Taege will also return for the Irish. Behnke posted a 2-1 record on the mound and in 22 innings Behnke struck out 21 while only walking 6 and posted a 1.91 ERA. He also doubled twice for the Irish. Taege was 2-0 for the Irish on the mound. In 11.2 innings he struck out 8 while walking 10 and posted a 1.81 ERA. He also doubled 3 times for the Irish.

The Irish also will return sophomores Tony Dietzen and Grant Meulemans. Dietzen, as a freshman, hit .321 to go with 9 RBI and 9 runs scored. He also had 10 walks and posted a .424 on base percentage. Meulemans was called up late in the season and started at second base. In just 5 games starting for the Irish he scored 5 runs, had an on base percentage of .429 and hit .250 while only striking out once.

Others to watch for this season after a successful legion campain are Ben Bartosziak, who hit .320 during the summer campain while starting at third base. Jaeden LeCapitain caught most of the games for Freedom Legion during the summer and hit just under .300. Jace Midbon, Cam Jochimson, and Nate Senso all played well for the Freedom Legion Team and could find themselves in the mix for playing time in 2020.

The Irish did lose some key players with the likes of Noah Taege (career putouts leader for the Irish with 504), Kyle Elias (2nd in career ERA for the Irish at 1.65), Gabe Vanderloop (2 year starter at third base) and Myles Rudie (started every game in the outfield) but if some of the younger guys step up the Irish should have another successful season.